1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a delivery machine for individually holding, by a large number of holding means, and discharging folded printed paper sheets that are folded and discharged by a folding machine of a rotary press.
2. Description of the Relates Art
The following delivery machines are known as delivery machines for individually holding, by a large number of holding means such as holding means of partial grip type gripping mechanisms, and discharging folded paper sheets of printed matters folded and discharged from a folding machine of a rotary press.
The delivery machine described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 54261/1989 combines delivery fans with stopper wheels having a different center of rotation from that of the delivery fans, and rotates the stopper wheels in the same rotating direction as the delivery fans but at a lower rotating speed than that of the delivery fans. The stopper wheel is equipped around its outer peripheral surface with a corresponding number of stoppers to the number of the delivery fans, and each stopper is provided with holding means. The folded paper sheet that falls from above and strikes the stopper is held by the holding means disposed at the stopper portion, and is then extruded and discharged from the delivery fan by the stopper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,837 describes a construction wherein an endless chain having a gripper mechanism is disposed below the center of rotation of delivery fans, and the folded paper sheet falling to, and supported by, the delivery fans is held by the gripper mechanism and is discharged from the rotating delivery fans by chain circulation movement.
In the mechanism disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 54261/1989 described above, the delivery fans have the different center of rotation from that of the stopper wheel. Therefore, the driving mechanism of the delivery fans becomes complicated, and the reduction of size and simplification of the construction of the machine are difficult to attain.
In the construction of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,837, on the other hand, the driving mechanism of the delivery fans is separate from the driving mechanism of a transfer apparatus using the gripper mechanism. Therefore, the reduction of the size and simplification of the construction of the machine are difficult to attain in the same way as in the Japanese patent described above.
When the folded paper sheet, which is held by the gripper mechanism inside the delivery fan, is discharged from the rotating delivery fan, it is difficult to discharge the folded paper sheet without damaging it, due to the structural relationship between the path of the rotating fans and the gripper mechanism so moving as to transversely cross the orbit.